Kingdom Hearts: Final Kingdom
by AdventureButtAlex
Summary: Faris, a seventeen year old male from another world gets pulled from his own and thrust into the world of Gaia. Soon enough he finds out that he has to save all these worlds, but just how is he going to save the world if he keeps getting sick from all the darkness inside him? And what are those things with the bright yellow eyes? (Lots of OC! Eventual MxM Though No Sexual Content!)
1. Kingdom Hearts: Introduction

The rain was loud as it hit the top of the roof and ran down to the ground underneath. The house was quite, just as it always was this late at night but tonight the rain kept him awake. Something didn't feel right. There was a twisting feeling deep in his gut and he honestly didn't like it. So he silently lied there on his bed, eyes closed, one arm above his head the other across his stomach. No matter how hard he tried he just couldn't sleep. He wondered if he was getting sick from the sudden weather change or if he had eaten something a little too expired, but it was too late for him with either. Still, that deep feeling in his gut didn't feel like the kind of sick that he was thinking of. It was more of a... fear? He scoffed to himself. Fear? Just what was he afraid of? Was it the rain? Yeah right, like he'd be afraid of something as simple as the rain at the age of seventeen. Even so, there was something strange about the way the rain sounded. It was louder than it should've been on the roof, kind of like when hail is falling, but it was too hot and humid for hail.

He let out a loud groan. The rain really needed to stop already or he was going to be up all night. Suddenly curious though, he turned his head and opened his eyes to look at his alarm clock only to sit up quick enough to give anyone a head rush. He saw eyes. Not the normal kind of eyes either. They were bright yellow and blank. There was no pupils in them. They didn't even blink. The deep feeling in his gut became worse and as it did, more eyes began to appear from the darkness. It wasn't really that dark in his room, was it? Just what the hell was going on anyway? What did those eyes belong to and why were they multiplying?! He jumped to his feet and though normally he'd never stand on his bed to begin with, he never liked it when people put shoes on it and there he was, standing on his bed with his shoes on.

The eyes seemed to get closer, darkness swallowing his bed. His breathing became faster. Even he had to admit that whatever was going on was seriously starting to scare him, though he'd never admit to that out loud. Suddenly something jumped on his leg and he kicked. The creature flew off but he quickly realized that there were so many more. Every pair of eyes he saw belonged to a creature and they were getting closer. More and more creatures showed up and more and more jumped on him until his body fell from the weight and just as fast as everything had started, it ended. He fell into a darkness that he could never have imagined. It was too dark even to see, as if his eyes were closed even though they were open. Suddenly there was a flash of white light and he lost consciousness.


	2. Kingdom Hearts: Chapter One

"Hey kid, you can't sleep here. Get up."

"Huh?" A groan came from him as he shifted and opened his eyes. "Can't sleep...where?" He questioned, putting an arm against his forehead to attempt to keep the sunlight from his eyes. Wait. Sunlight?

"Here, now get up and find somewhere else to sleep."

He felt a foot against his leg and he frowned. "Don't touch me." He stated, swatting at the foot.

"Get the hell out of here then."

Shaking his head, he stood up, wobbling a bit to keep from falling over. Just what had happened? Where was he? Somehow he made his way out into the street, people were making their way and going on with their normal lives as he stumbled on. His head was killing him, his legs would hardly hold him up, and he felt like he was going to heave his lungs out.

"Hey, are you okay?" A voice asked him. At first he didn't even feel the hands on his arms, steadying him, but he noticed rather quickly when he started to fall over, the hands wrapping around him. "Oh my, l-let me help you, okay?" He gave a small nod.

He wasn't sure how long he and the one helping him walked, but it felt like it was fast and slow at the same time, and he swore he kept losing his consciousness as they went. He was happy to reach a soft cushioned couch when they reached where they were going. He dropped his head onto the pillow he was given and closed his eyes. It felt like the world was spinning around him and it was making him nauseous.

"You must've had a rough night." The voice came again.

He wanted to open his eyes to look at the one who had given him aid, but at the same time, he was worried that the world would still be spinning when he did. The thought of it made his stomach drop and his throat opened a bit wider, causing him to retch and heave. He leaned over the couch expecting to throw up his dinner from the night before, but what had come out of his mouth was much worse. His watery eyes grew wide when he saw what had come out of him. It was a black, thick looking fluid. Upon seeing this he felt sick again, retching even harder than he had the first time.

He panted heavily as he stared at the liquid on the floor. His vision began to shake and he started to see the yellow eyes that he had seen in his room the night before. His body shook. He wasn't sure if it was from vomiting or the thought of the creatures that attacked him the night before.

Someone touching him broke him out of his terrified trance however and he looked up to see the person the hands belonged to. They gave a concerned smile, holding up a wet wash cloth. They waited for a few moments before moving forward to clean up his face, wiping the black liquid from his mouth gently. The cloth felt cool and it relaxed him a bit.

"I'll go get you something to drink." The person said, standing and leaving the room.

He watched them leave before closing his eyes again. He didn't know what was happening to him, he didn't know where he was, and he certainly didn't know what was going on. Things just kept getting stranger and stranger.

The person came back a few minutes later with a glass of water and a bucket of water in hand. They gave a small smile as they handed him the glass before kneeling down to clean up the floor. He took a small breath and took a drink of the water. The water did make him feel better, but it hit something in his stomach that make it churn and he frowned.

"What's you're name?" The person asked, looking up at him, trying to get his attention off of his stomach.

"..." He didn't want to speak at first but he couldn't find the harm in telling this person, who helped him, who brought him to their house, and who was currently taking care of him, his name. "Faris."

"Well Faris," They started. "how would you like to stay here until you're better?"

Faris stared at the person in shock. "A-are you sure? I-I don't think it would be right for me to intru-"

"Nonsense." He was stopped in his words. "You're ill, you can't be left alone." They said.

He couldn't bare to refuse after that. "If you really want me to stay, then I guess I don't have much of a choice." He said with a small sigh.

"Good, because you really didn't. Now, get some rest." They said with a smile.

"May I know your name?" Faris asked a bit hesitantly.

"Lamia." They replied happily.

Faris smiled a bit and lied back down on the couch, resting his head on the pillow. "Thank you, Lamia..." He said quietly, already drifting off to sleep. "Thank you for everything."

He was too tired to fight it anymore and fell asleep, falling back into the drowning darkness that had swallowed him the night before only this time, the light wasn't so bright and it didn't seem like it was going away.


	3. Kingdom Hearts: Chapter Two

He felt like he was falling. There was a cool and damp feeling around him. What was it? It felt wet. Like it was water. Water? How could it be water? He opened his eyes to see nothing but a dark blue colour and light from above. Even still, he was falling. He tried to lift his hand but couldn't. His breathing became rigid. Was he going to drown? He felt his body moving on its own, his feet landing in the soft sand at the bottom. He was confused. Where was he? How could be breath? Suddenly the ground beneath his feet moved and flew upwards toward the light. It was a mix of black and white... birds? How could birds be underwater? That's when he realized that as he looked around, he was no longer surrounded by water, but darkness.

He took a few steps, hearing them echo into the darkness forced him to look down and he was surprised at what he saw. He was standing on some type of platform made of what looked like stained glass. He walked around a bit more, examining the image the glass made. The colours ranged from pale yellow from the center to a pale blue green at the edges. There were circles at the top, shapes inside them that he'd never seen before and in the center of the platform there was a larger image. Two weapons crossed, making an 'x'. What kind of weapons were they? Where was he? Why was he there?

_ "You have darkness within your heart"_ A voice said.

He looked around quickly. There was no one else there. Just him. Was he hearing things?

"_Which path will you choose?"_

He was confused. Path? What kind of paths was this voice talking about?

_"The sword, powerful and brave."_

The voice paused.

_"The rod, magical and swift."_

Once again, another pause.

_"The shield, sturdy and strong."_

He looked around, watching as three small pillars rose from the glass.

_"Each will have it's own strengths and their own faults. Choose one and begin your path, but choose carefully."_

He looked at each of the pillars. A sword, a rod, or a shield. Power, Magic, or strength. He looked at each one for several minutes before walking to the sword and picking it up.

_"You have chosen the sword, powerful and brave. Do you wish for power and to be brave?"_

He looked at the sword for a moment before nodding slowly, the pillar that once held the sword crumbling into a pile of rubble as he did.

_"Which then will you give up?"_

He frowned. Give up? He didn't know he had to give something up if he chose. He looked between the rod and the shield. Magic or strength? He sighed and walked over to the rod. He went to touch it, and as his hand wrapped around the staff, it disappeared into a small burst of light, causing him to jump and pull away.

_"You have chosen to give up the rod, magical and swift."_

The voice said. After it spoke, stairs started to appear from the side of the platform. They spiraled upwards into the darkness.

_"You have chosen a path of power and bravery. Will you continue this path or will you falter and fall into the darkness that lies within your own heart?"_

He had an urge to look behind him and it didn't take a second thought for him to take off towards the stairs. Following after him however were the creatures from before, seemingly climbing up the side of the platform, rushing toward him. He ran as fast as he could up the stairs. The creatures were beginning to catch up.

_"You will have to learn to face even the darkest of fears on this journey. You have chosen your path, it is time you started it."_

The voice said and he stopped running. He turned around and looked at the creatures that were coming at him. He lifted the sword, both hands gripping it tightly as they came closer. With a swing of the sword it hit one of the creatures, knocking it away if only for a moment. He swung again and again, yet the creatures kept coming.

_"Within the darkness there will always be light. Find it and you will find safety."_

He started up the stairs again, this time running faster, harder, giving his all to get up what seemed like the never ending stairs. Finally he broke free onto another platform, the images were the same as before, the colours however were different. Instead of the yellow, blue, and green, they were a pale red, pink, and purple.

_"Light will not always protect you from the darkness. As you get closer to the light, your shadow will grow and in turn, so will the darkness inside your heart."_

Darkness inside his heart? He placed a hand on his chest as if to clutch the very thing the voice was talking about.

_"Do you feel it stirring inside you?"_

He growled a bit and turned toward the creatures.

_"You can rely on this darkness, however you must be cautious. The darkness is dangerous and will eat away at you the more you call for it."_

He let go of the sword with one hand, gripping it tightly with the other. The creatures raced towards him and he swung. No matter what he did the creatures would only keep coming back. There was another flash of light in his hand, this time though something appeared. The creatures backed away. He looked at his hand, the weapon was heavier than the sword he had chosen. It was also sort of... key shaped?

Without warning the creatures advanced again, jumping onto his back and arms. He swung his new weapon, grinning as it made the creatures start to disappear. He kept attacking until finally the creatures were gone.

_"The light within your heart will protect you. Keep it close and do not let the darkness overcome it."_

Suddenly, the platform tilted, causing him to slide off, falling once again into the darkness and just as fast as it had all began, it ended.


	4. Kingdom Hearts: Chapter Three

Faris woke up in a cold sweat, his chest hurting from somewhere deep inside. It was a dream. A dream that seemed as real as if he was awake but there was no way that that was possible. Due to his loud panting he didn't even hear Lamia come into the room to check on him.

"Shh," He placed his hands on Faris's shoulders, helping him into a sitting position. "it's okay Faris. You're okay."

Faris did his best to calm down and after a few minutes of panting and Lamia rubbing his shoulders, he finally did. Just what kind of dream was that? It had to have been a dream. There was no other way that it was possible! Even still, his heart still pounded in his chest and he couldn't get rid of the creeping feeling that felt like it was eating away at his heart. What was it?

"Do you want to talk about it?" Lamia asked as he sat on the couch next to Faris.

He shook his head. "No... I'll be fine. It was just a bad dream."

That's what he kept telling himself too. That it was all just a dream. How else could he be somewhere he's never been before? A different world to be exact. In fact, this world was called Gaia and the city he landed in, Edge. This was definitely not his home world and as the days went on, he still wondered just how he got there.

A few weeks later he was still riddled with nightmares of the night that everything happened as well as the dream he had on the platforms. He just couldn't understand what was happening or why for that matter. With a sigh he relaxed himself on the counter that he was standing behind. He was stuck there, so why not make use of his time by helping Lamia in his shop? The only thing was, hardly anyone ever came in and on the rare occasion that they did, it was a simple purchase, some kids messing around, or someone who got lost looking for another store. Why was this place so boring? If he had been in his own world he'd be busy all the time, though he'd be getting into trouble more. The bell on the door suddenly rang and he looked up, not seeing anyone around.

"Hey, if you kids are in here again I'm gonna toss you out on your asses." He murmured, waiting for them to knock something over again.

There was no noise however and he frowned, sighing heavily.

"Excuse me, kupo." A voice called from... below the counter?

Faris stood up straight, peeking over the counter to see a small creature... thing. What the hell was that? He'd been in Midgar for almost a month now and had never seen a creature like that before. He'd read about Chocobos, Tonberries, and even the Weapons that protect the planet, but the creature that was standing on the floor, ears just large enough to reach the edge of the counter, was one he'd never even heard of.

"The heck are you?" Faris questioned a little too loudly to himself.

"Me you ask? ME?! Why, you act like you've never seen a Moogle before, kupo!" The creature stated.

"You're right, I haven't." Faris replied with a frown, standing up straight once more. "So how can I help you then?"

The Moogle flew up suddenly, hit feet landing on top of the counter. "I'm looking for information, kupo." He said.

"Information?" Faris repeated halfheartedly. "We don't sell information, I'm sorry."

The Moogle smirked and crossed his small arms. "Oh come now, everyone has a price. I just need to know one thing, kupo."

Faris raised an eyebrow. "And what is that 'one thing' that you need to know?"

The Moogle moved closer to him, beckoning him closer. Faris complied, curious of this question himself. "About a month ago, did you see something fall from the sky, kupo?"

Faris pulled back quickly. "Did I see something fall from the sky?" He repeated with a frown. "No, I didn't see anything 'fall from the sky'. I mean really, what kind of question is that?"

"It's an important question, damn it!" The Moogle snapped.

Faris smirked a bit. "You live in a world where giant meteors try to crush you, creatures can kill you with one touch, and you ride giant yellow chickens, and you're worried about something that fell from the sky?"

"Faris, that's enough." Lamia's voice echoed through the nearly empty shop, causing Faris and even the Moogle to jump. "That's no way to talk to someone who asks for help."

Faris looked down a bit ashamed of himself. "Sorry Lamia." He murmured.

"You should be." He said in a warning tone. "Now," He started as he walked over, giving a smile to the Moogle. "you asked if we saw something fall from the sky?"

The Moogle nodded. "Yes, any information on this matter would be nice to have if possible, kupo."

Lamia nodded and crossed his arms. "I did see something fall from the sky a few weeks ago."

The Moogle moved closer. "You did?!"

"It was like a meteor, but it didn't burn up, and it wasn't on fire like it should've been. No, it was more like clouds were surrounding it, pillowing the fall in a way. That was the night before I met you Faris." He said, looking over at the young pink haired man.

The Moogle looked over at Faris, eyes as wide as they could get. "Can I know more, kupo?"

Lamia smiled and nodded. "Of course. Well, I found Faris the next morning after I saw what happened the night before. He was in no condition to be on the streets. When I brought him home he was sicker than I've ever seen anyone before. He was even vomiting this black substance, it was almost oil-like in a way."

Faris frowned hearing Lamia's works, the visions of those yellow eyes coming into his head. His stomach turned and his chest felt like it was being crushed.

"Faris?" Lamia's voice sounded distant as he started to breath heavily.

Faris swore he could've heard the voice from his dream again, though he couldn't make out what it said. Lamia's hands gripped onto Faris's shoulders, steadying him.

"Faris, are you alright?" Lamia's voice broke through the loud ringing in his ears and he shook his head.

Before Faris knew what was happening, he was heaving into a trashcan that Lamia had grabbed for him. The Moogle watched on as Faris's body desperately tried to rid itself of the black fluids. After a good ten or fifteen minutes of coughing, gagging, and heaving, Faris's body calmed down once more, leaving him on the floor of the shop, leaned up against the wall, panting.

"You have darkness within you, kupo." The Moogle stated as he moved over to Faris.

Faris looked at the Moogle, eyes wide. "What did you-" He stopped to pant a few times before gaining his breath again. "What did you just say?"

The Moogle placed a small hand on Faris's chest. "A deep darkness, kupo."

Faris wanted to push the little creature away, but the sudden rush of a cool heat ran through his body as a green light came from the Moogle's hand.

"You are the thing that fell from the sky, kupo." He said. "This is most interesting. You're from an entirely different world, kupo."

Faris groaned a bit and closed his eyes. Whatever that Moogle was doing, it was making him feel better than he had in weeks.


	5. Kingdom Hearts: Chapter Four

"You can't expect me to get on that... thing." Faris stated as he crossed his arms and frowned at the large yellow bird that stood before him.

"Yes, kupo. It's the fasted way to get to North Corel." The Moogle said as he flew up and sat on the back of the large bird.

"But it's a giant _chicken._" Faris exclaimed, gesturing to the creature, who in turn 'warked' at him.

"This 'chicken' is called a Chocobo. Now get on so we can go, kupo."

Faris frowned once again, carefully climbing onto the large bird. "Just so you know, I really don't like this. Explain to me why we just couldn't ride the airship the rest of the way there?"

Zomogo sighed and shook his head. "You don't listen to anything I say do you, kupo?"

"Sometimes." Faris admitted, nearly falling off as the Chocobo started moving forward.

"Don't be a coward, kupo. This is the safest way to where we're going."

"Stop lying. I've read about this area. There are _things_ out there!" Faris stated, only to get hit by the Moogle.

"Calm yourself, you don't want to scare the others do you, kupo?"

Faris turned and looked at the others that were also on Chocobos, following not too far behind. The Moogle was right, if he continued to talk like that then the others were sure to panic, or would they considered they lived in this forsaken, monster-filled world.

"Cid and Yuffie said that there's someone that can help us at the Gold Saucer so that's where we're going You want to go home and I want to learn about how you got here, kupo."

Faris groaned a bit. "Do you have to say that every time you talk?"

Zomogo tilted his head a bit. "Say what, kupo?"

"That!" The Moogle still looked confused. "That 'kupo' thing or whatever."

"It's automatic. I can't control saying it alright? It's just something that Moogles do, kupo."

Faris shook his head. "You're a strange creature. More strange than this thing I'm riding."

"You're one to talk, kupo." Zomogo stated with a frown.

It took far longer than Faris had thought it would and his butt got numb sitting on the Chocobo he was riding. Even with the small break that they had, it was cut short due to a monster. Zomogo had been right, the people did panic. Though when he realized that these people may have lived in this world, they staid safe in their cities, away from the dangers.

On the second half of the trip, Faris fell into the memories of when he and the Moogle were talking to Cid, an airship captain, and Yuffie, a warrior from Wutai. They had said that this kind of thing had happened before. People getting ripped from their home worlds, the darkness that took over, and even a young boy name Sora, who had fixed it all along with his two friends. There was talk of the Keyblade, something that Faris had purposely failed to mention while he was with them. They spoke of keyholes, and how Sora locked them, thus locking the doors to the other worlds. If that was the case, how was it happening again? If this Maleficent has been defeated, how was it that the darkness was returning? Nothing was making sense. Sora apparently hadn't been heard from, nor had he shown up anywhere that anyone knew of. So where was this 'Keyblade master'? If he was so great, why wasn't it him that was there trying to save everyone.

Faris frowned it didn't really matter though, did it? He was already there in some other world. As much as he wanted to return home, the way Cid put it made his heart sink. The light of the world went out, just like a star. His world was gone. His family... who knows just what happened to them. Could they have been turned into these Heartless creatures that he was told about? The very things that had attacked him in his bedroom that night. His stomach turned the more he thought about it.

"Faris?" Zomogo's voice was distant for a moment. "Faris, are you alright?"

The pink-haired teen opened his eyes, only to see the Moogle's so close to his.

"You look sick, do you need us to stop, kupo?" He asked, obviously concerned.

Faris shook his head. "I'll be fine." He replied weakly.

Zomogo frowned and placed a small hand on Faris's forehead. "You have another fever. We should stop and let you rest."

The teen shook his head. "No, we need to keep going." He stated. "We need to get there, even if I'm sick. I'm fine." He didn't feel fine. He felt like his stomach was filling up with nothing but sickness and he was having a bit of trouble breathing. "Just do your magic thing."

"Faris that is an ability that can only help you for so long, kupo." Zomogo replied as he started to cast the magic. "Magic is something that we have to conserve. I can not keep using it like this, kupo."

Faris shook his head. "We can't stop now. We have to get there. We can get potions later..." He murmured as he closed his eyes, relaxing as the cool touch of the Moogle's magic washed over him.

"We don't know if other places will have potions. We can't be careless, kupo." Zomogo explained as he removed his hand from Faris's head.

Faris could only nod slightly. It was a good thing that he was practically strapped onto the Chocobo that he was riding or else he wouldn't simply fallen off. The guide looked back and questioned what was going on, but Zomogo assured him that everything was fine and that they needed to keep going.

It felt somewhat like forever before they reached the edge of North Corel. Zomogo tried several times to wake Faris up and when he finally woke up he fell off the Chocobo. Zomogo healed his friend's minor injuries, though he couldn't heal his pride. For a moment, Faris was happy that they had reached their destination, only to frown and shoot a glare at the Moogle when he was told that he had another long while before they actually reached the Gold Saucer. The ropeway was long, but the pink-haired boy could see where they were going. There was a vast desert ahead of them, and beneath the Saucer as well. He shuddered at the thought of what kind of creatures were down there, and he swore that he could see several things moving in the distance. Even still, despite not trusting the rickety looking ropeway, he climbed into the cabin and sat down in a seat in the corner, Zomogo sitting next to him. This journey of theirs was was proving to be longer than he had hoped, then again he could've been feeling like that since his stomach felt like it was completely inside out...


	6. Kingdom Hearts: Chapter Five

The ropeway felt like it took days to get to the other side to Faris, though it was only a few hours. The air was hot and heavy, making his head fuzzy. It was moments like this that he was happy he didn't wear much clothing.

"Faris, are you feeling better, kupo?" Zomogo asked as they stepped onto the platform.

Faris groaned a bit.

"Perhaps we should get a room at the inn at Ghost Square, kupo." The Moogle said as he led Faris by the leg of his pants.

The pink haired young man felt like he was being lead around by a child. He walked as straight up as he could but his stomach was in such a twisting pain, he just wanted to double over and not move. Even still, he continued on, walking with as much strength that he could muster.

"There is a lot more people here than normal, kupo." Zomogo stated as he stopped in the Station.

"Isn't this some kind of amusement park? Why wouldn't there be people here?" Faris questioned, his mouth dry and his throat scratchy.

"No, no, kupo. I mean a lot more." The Moogle frowned. "I wonder if more people like you have come to this world, kupo."

Faris did his best to hid another groan as the twisting feeling in his stomach worsened. "Can we worry about this later?" He asked, holding onto his abdomen so tightly that it would leave red marks.

Zomogo looked up at him and nodded. Despite the crowd, the two made it out of the Station and to Ghost Square, where they got to the inn as quickly as Faris could go. When they got to the desk it was Zomogo who had to ask for the room. After the short walk up the stairs in the main lobby, they reached their room and Faris fell right onto the bed with a groan.

"You stay here, kupo. I'll go ask the people around what's going on." Zomogo stated as he left the room.

Faris wanted to protest but he felt too weak to do anything. He didn't want to be left alone, but there was nothing that he could do about it. The Moogle was gone and he was all alone in the strange ghost themed room.

He could hear people running past the room too, kids laughing and being loud as they passed. It reminded him of his younger brother, someone he'd lost when he came to this new world. It was heartbreaking to think about. Just what had happened to him? A dark sorrow fell onto his heart the more he thought about it.

Darkness. The thing that was making him sick. The thing that had brought him to the strange world he was in. The thing that took him away from his family and there was nothing he could do about it. The thing that was eating at his mind every damn second and slowly making him go mad.

_ Darkness is apart of you. You must not let it control you, you must learn to control it._

Faris stared at the ceiling. It was that voice again. The same voice that was in the dream with the Keyblade. How was he supposed to control the darkness if it made him sick? Maybe that's what the voice meant. The darkness was controlling him with the illness. He sat up slowly, if he could beat the illness, he would be in control.

Carefully, he placed his feet to the floor. Standing up probably wasn't the best thing he could've tried, but he did his best. His best however wasn't strong enough and he found himself on his stomach on the floor.

"No," he started with a weak growl. "I will not be controlled."

There was a sudden flash of light and within his balled up fist was the hilt of a large key that had appeared.

_ The light can guide you wielder, but it cannot protect you from yourself. The darkness within you can be harnessed or locked away with the key. Make your choice._

Faris forced himself to his feet, using the Keyblade as a crutch. He could harness the darkness? He could also liberate himself from the aching sickness of the darkness twisting inside him. It was a hard decision to make, and at what cost?


	7. Kingdom Hearts: Chapter Six

Faris made his way out out of the room, his Keyblade had already vanished much to his dismay, but he was doing his best to stay standing on his own. Somewhere down the hall, he started to gain more strength. Was it the darkness? He really didn't care however; and kept going. Zomogo had to be around somewhere, but just where was the question. The Gold Saucer was a large place, he knew that from looking at it from the Ropeway. Somehow he made his way out of the building and was immediately greeted by a graveyard. He was in 'Ghost Square' after all, so it wasn't much of a surprise, creepy though, he had to admit.

Not long after, he found himself wandering into the Station area. This time however, he felt well enough to look around seeing as his first time there he didn't give a damn about anything but getting to the inn. The place was busy with so many people, and it was then he realized what Zomogo had meant. No matter where he looked, there were people. Not just humans either. All types of races. Some with elf ears, some even with wings. It was strange to him. Perhaps it wasn't just his world that was devoured by darkness after all.

"Excuse me," he stopped a small group of people. "have you seen a Moogle around? He's about this tall." He made a height comparison and the small group laughed.

"Moogles aren't that big." One stated.

"Yeah, haven't you ever seen one before?" Another cooed.

The small group kept snickering and laughing, walking past Faris, leaving him a bit aggravated. Something in his stomach shifted, and he felt a bit better.

"I saw your small friend heading to Wonder Square. I can lead you to him if you like?" A voice came from the side, causing Faris to turn his attention to the one who spoke.

"You don't think I'm an idiot too do you?" He questioned, his voice a bit lower than normal.

"Of course not. This is a place of refuge. Just looking around one can see that there are more creatures here than there should be, even I. As a bonus, I actually did see your little friend." The person replied with a smile.

Faris nodded and got a good look at the one he was speaking to. Pale, fair skin, not a scar that he could see, light blue hair that reached his back, straight but wavy at the ends, bright purple eyes to match. He even had some kind of animal ears and a tail too, both a mix of blue and purple.

"Are you coming?" He asked Faris, knocking him out of his observant trance.

"Yes, thanks you for this." He replied, returning a smile.

The stranger smiled more. "My name is Largo." He said as he started off in the direction of Wonder Square.

Faris followed closely with a reply, "Faris."

Largo smiled back at him. "You're not very talkative, are you?" He asked.

Faris flinched a bit. "Not really, no."

Subconsciously, Faris placed his hand on his stomach, clutching it lightly as he walked. For a moment, everything was fine. They were making their way to Wonder Square, nothing but people between them and it, but there was something twisting slowly inside Faris, and the more it twisted, then more he felt it.

"Faris? Are you alright? You look a little pale."

The young man shook his head a bit, trying to get the feeling away. He felt queasy. Suddenly it was like something in his mind snapped, shattering like broken glass. Yellow eyes. Those eyes drew in, closer to him.

"Faris!" Zomogo's voice broke through the darkness.

Faris shot his attention at the Moogle, staring at him as he ran closer. "Zomogo..." He murmured. He felt exhaustion wash over him as he could feel the darkness retreat.

"What are you doing out here!?" The Moogle questioned as he reached him. "You're supposed to be in bed resting!"

Faris smirked a bit. "Since when do you care so much?" He asked as he looked down at the small creature.

Zomogo frowned huffed a bit before looking over to see Largo. "Who are you, kupo?" He asked curiously.

"Largo. I was bringing your friend here to you, but it seems you found him instead." Largo explained. "Though, I will admit, he looks a bit unwell."

Zomogo frowned again and nodded. "Yes, he's been sick for quite some time now, kupo." He explained. "We don't yet know how to cure him."

The darkness twisted inside Faris suddenly, like a flock of birds changing direction, causing him to make a rather disgusted face. "Excuse me for a second." He stated, rushing to a trashcan to vomit.

Largo watched, worried by the sudden onset. "Will he be alright?"

"I can't be sure. It seems to only be getting worse, kupo."

Faris could barely hear the two speaking about him. He was far too busy throwing up the thick black gunk that had settled itself inside him. When he finally stopped and opened his eyes, he nearly yelled in terror.

"Zomogo..." His voice was weak from the retching, and he was certain the Moogle didn't hear him, so he called again. "Zomogo!"

The Moogle turned his attention to Faris curiously. "What is it, kupo?" He asked, going over.

Faris shook his head and pried himself away from the trash can, pointing at it slightly. "I... don't think it's supposed to do that."

Zomogo flew up a bit, peeking into the trashcan. "No, I do not it is, kupo."

Largo curiously peek into the trashcan as well, gasping at what he saw. "I'm most certain that it is not supposed to do that." He added.

The three of them stared, watching and waiting for something to happen. Faris felt lighter, he had to admit. If this was what was making him sick then he was more than happy that it was out. The twisting in his stomach had stopped, and he felt better than he did before everything had even started.


	8. Kingdom Hearts: Chapter Seven

Faris held his stomach lightly, feeling the urge to throw up again, but not because of the darkness inside him, no. It was what was in the trashcan moving around that wanted to make him vomit. What ever it was, it was growing in size. Faris covered his mouth and gagged a bit when the black goop in the trashcan looked up at him. It didn't just look like it was looking at him, it was seriously looking at him, with big, bright yellow eyes.

"Faris, it seems you have created a Heartless, kupo." Zomogo stated, standing on the rim of the trashcan to get a better look.

"Excuse me, what is a 'Heartless'?" Largo questioned curiously.

"Well, in normal circumstances of what I know, Heartless are born from the darkness in people's hearts. I really wish I knew more but that's about it, kupo." Zomogo explained with a frown.

Faris shook his head. "Heartless... How could a Heartless have come from inside me?" He questioned quickly.

The Moogle shook his head. "I do not know, kupo. If I did I would explain it."

Faris let out a small, quiet growl, which was echoed in the trashcan.

"I do believe your little friend there is learning." Largo stated.

"He's not a _friend._" Faris snapped.

Between the two's talking, a small cat-sized creature started to crawl out of the bin, making a small, quiet growling sound, much the same Faris had made. All three turned their attention to the Heartless as it spread its wings.

"I do not think this Heartless is so Heartless after all, kupo." Zomogo stated, pointing at the creature's back.

"So it has some gold markings, what's the difference?" Faris questioned with a frown.

With a sigh and another shake of his head the Moogle couldn't say.

Faris groaned and rolled his eyes. "Where are we even supposed to get information like – AH!"

Before Faris could finish what he was saying, the small creature leaped onto his chest, holding on tightly to his shirt and looking up at him with its big yellow eyes.

"I think it likes you." Largo said, stating the obvious.

The small creature cooed and climbed up onto Faris's shoulders, curling around him like a scarf.

"Since it came from you, you both have a connection. Perhaps you'll be able to understand one another one day?" Largo suggested with a shrug.

"Can someone please just get this little gooshy thing off of me?!" Faris exclaimed, freaking out a bit.

Both Zomogo and Largo chuckled a bit.

"I think you named him, kupo." Zomogo stated, flying over and poking at the creature, who in turn cooed at him.

"Named him? What, Goosh?" Faris frowned and the creature cooed again.

"It seems as though you did indeed name him 'Goosh'." Largo agreed.

Faris frowned even more. "I don't want this thing."

"That's too bad, kupo. It could come in handy." Zomogo stated.

Another groan came from Faris and he reached up to touch the small creature on the head. He was stuck with him whether he liked it or not. Even still, there was something about this creature that he hand named Goosh. Something he felt connected to, but he couldn't figure out what it was.

A few days later, they were still stuck at the Gold Saucer. Despite trying everything they could, they couldn't get much information other than a few people saying they didn't know where they came from. It was clear that the majority of people didn't remember what had happened to their homes. As frustrating and odd as it was, there was nothing they could really do about it.

Faris sighed as he wandered through the Wonder Square arcade. It reminded him of home. His younger brother loved the arcade back home. He used to beg him for money to play the games and somehow Faris always ended up giving in. His thoughts were halted when Goosh, who finally seemed to be accepted by his new owner, make a screeching sound, making Faris jump a bit.

"What the hell Goosh, don't do that!" He exclaimed, looking at the creature on his shoulder.

Goosh screeched again, this time leaping from Faris's shoulder and onto the floor.

"Goosh?" Faris questioned as he followed his little friend around a game machine.

Goosh made several noises before looking back at Faris with a growl. Faris however, failed to see anything. He frowned, picking up the creature, walking away from the machine and out of the arcade. It was a strange little happening, but it made the pink haired young man curious. He'd have to tell Zomogo about this.

When Faris returned to the room at the inn in Ghost Square, he was surprised to see Largo sitting with Zomogo. He looked at them both with a raised eyebrow.

"Something going on?" He asked.

Largo looked down a bit, not wanting to say anything. Zomogo on the other hand stood up.

"We need to leave this place, kupo. I don't mean the inn or the Gold Saucer, I mean this world, Faris. If we stay here too long we may very well end up like those other people here., kupo" He explained.

"What do you mean by that?"

This time, Largo spoke. "It seems as though, people that come here from other worlds are losing their memories of their homes. I've known someone for a while now who is just like us, lost. However, today I tried to speak with them about it, and they have no recollection of such a thing." He explained.

"So you're telling me that if we stay here we'll lose our memories?" Faris questioned.

Both Zomogo and Largo nodded and Faris let out a frustrated groan. "How do we leave here then? I apparently fell from the sky, we can't exactly go back the way I came."

"No, but with his help we can leave this place., kupo" Zomogo stated, pointing at Goosh.

Faris suddenly felt protective of the small creature and held him close. "And just what do you think he can do?"

Zomogo frowned. "Have you noticed the keyhole on Goosh's back, kupo?"

Goosh made a growling sound as he was pried from Faris's chest and spun around to be inspected.

"Of course I have, but what does that have anything to do with..." Faris stopped and stared at the keyhole before setting Goosh on the floor. "I know what to do."

Zomogo nodded. "That's it, kupo."

Faris nodded and looked at Largo, who didn't seem so happy that they were leaving. "Don't forget anything, okay? We'll come back."

Largo gave a small smile and nodded.

Goosh made a cooing noise and looked back at Faris. The young man closed his eyes and extended his arm, holding his hand to the side. There was a flash of bright light and in his hand was the Keyblade. He took a breath and held it in front of himself, holding it with his other hand tightly. He took another breath and pointed the end of it at the keyhole and just as suddenly as the Keyblade had shown up, a beam of light shot from the end and into they keyhole on Goosh's back, unlocking whatever invisible door was there. None of them got to say goodbye exactly, because the moment the door was opened, Zomogo and Faris were pulled through without a choice, plunging them into the darkness and straight onto a cold hard surface that was all too familiar feeling to Faris.


	9. Kingdom Hearts: Chapter Eight

Fire red eyes stared up at the beam of light that extended into the infinite abyss of darkness that surrounded the pillar. This place. What was it? A Station. The words echoed in his mind. A station? Just what was this station? Where was it? What was it for? So many questions, so little time. Time? What time was it?

Morning. It felt like morning. Any minute now his brother would start whining about having to get up. Any second now his mother would call for breakfast. Any moment now his father would open the door to his room to see if he was awake and say good morning. Time. Was is so routine that it became dull and eventually stopped? It felt like it had. Like it was frozen water in the dead of winter. Frozen? Can time really do that? What happens if time stops? Does everything go dark?

Darkness was the answer, but how? How can one harness the power without being corrupted by it themselves? Corruption in itself is darkness. It's nothing but a big, endless circle. Circle? Like the one he was laying on? Like the shape of the station that seemingly protruded from the abyss of darkness in a white, almost blinding, pillar of light. There's always light in the dark. Even at night. There's always light from the infinite blackness of the night sky in the form of stars and the moon. During the day there's always darkness creeping about in shadows and cracks in the walls where sunlight can't reach.

The sun, the moon, darkness, and light. Everything is connected but how? How is it that there is an invisible link between everything and everyone, and nobody seems to notice the obvious truth that surrounds them?! That's it. The sun, the moon, the truth. More simply put, the sun, the moon, and the stars. Three things that are constantly surrounding the one staring up the overly obvious line between light and dark. Three things that he constantly has with him, that are incorporated into his clothes. He knows the truth. But he doesn't know that he knows it. The complications, the shock of being forced into another world, the sudden magical abilities that he'd obtained are all to overwhelming that he can't help but start to forget things.

Memory loss. The thing that plagued the refugees in the Gold Saucer. The thing that may possibly make him lose someone that he was just starting to get to know. The thing that seems to be so important yet so unimportant that no one ever things about it because they take it for granted. Remembering what things are a basic instinct but what happens if you stop remembering. What happens to your mind? Do you lose it? Do you become so crazy that you just can't handle it anymore.

Time, memories, truths, light, and darkness, everything is connected but by what? What invisible force keeps these things so connected that they can't survive without one another. What about balance? How do things fall out of balance so easily. Other worldly forces coming upon others crashing like rough waves at the docks in a thunderstorm.

The fire red eyes closed as Faris pushed himself up into a sitting position. There were still many things he didn't understand, but what else could he do but keep going? He had no where to go back to. Hell, he didn't even know how to get back to the Gold Saucer now. He didn't even know where he was... Now that he thought about it, he didn't even know what happened to Goosh or even Zomogo...

"Zomogo!" The pink haired male looked around to see his furry friend laying, seemingly unconscious not too far from him.

Faris stood quickly, going over to see if his friend was alright. He looked asleep. Like he was in a peaceful dream or something. The teen reached down and scooped the Moogle up. From his surroundings, he didn't see any stairs. Nor a door for that matter. Just what was going on? Why were they at a station anyway? Is this where Goosh's door had brought them? It didn't make much sense but somehow, it also did. A portal between worlds perhaps. Did that make any more sense? With a shake of his head Faris held his friend as if he was holding a large teddy bear or something, against his chest like he was going to protect him from something... Yeah that was probably it. There wasn't much thought about it with him. Once he had made up his mind, he went for it... If there were no stairs and no door... there was only one way to get off the station and that's the way he was going. So that's what he did. He took a deep breath, clung to Zomogo, and took off toward the edge, jumping from it before he could give himself a chance to even back out of the entire stupid idea.

_Fear is not an option. You must do the impossible. That is what being a Keyblade Master is about. Taking chances, making changes. Does this sound familiar to you, Faris...?_


	10. Kingdom Hearts: Chapter Nine

Crickets chirped around him and the air was warm. It felt like he was in a soft bed, yet there was no way he could be. He opened his eyes slowly, though closing them again when the sunlight was a little too bright. He groaned a bit. Where was he? Where was Zomogo? Even Goosh, where could his little friend have gone? Once again though, he slowly opened his eyes, letting them adjust to the sudden light.

Trees. That's what he could see when his vision finally cleared. Trees and grass. Flowers too. It didn't make any sense. He shook his head and went to reach up to touch it, but found that he couldn't exactly reach? How could he not reach? He looked down and found out why exactly he couldn't touch his head with his hand and the reason? He didn't have hands! He didn't even have arms. No. Legs and hooves. What was this? How did this happen?! What was he?

He stood up as fast as he could, even though he had the worst trouble figuring out how to even work his legs. He stumbled around, flailing a bit when he tripped and fell over and somehow landed on his back, feet in the air above him.

"Hooves?" He questioned to himself, kicking a little bit to make sure they moved when he wanted them too. "I'm a deer!"

He rolled over and attempted to stand once more. What kind of place was this!? Why was he a deer?! More importantly, where was Zomogo?!

"Zomogo!" He called, looking around a bit frantically.

Even though he was trying his best, he still couldn't walk correctly, and stumbled about like he was rather drunk.

"Faris?" He heard his little Moogle friend call his name from the tall grass not to far from him. "Don't yell I'm right here... sort of anyway."

"Sort of?" Faris questioned as he looked over the grass.

He spotted movement and carefully made his way over, still quite unstable, to find his friend. When he found him however, he couldn't seem to hold back the laugh that burst from his lungs and throat.

"Quit your laughing!" Zomogo growled as he crossed his little arms.

Faris, who couldn't hold himself up anymore from laughing, fell sideways and rolled onto his back, continuing his laughter.

"Would you shut up?! Have you seen yourself?!" Zomogo snapped, his nose and tail wiggling as he glared Faris down.

The teen however struggled to hold in his laughs. "But you're a rabbit!" He stated as he rolled onto his stomach. "And your pompom moved to your butt!" With that, he lost it once again.

"This is no time to be having a laughing fit! We need to figure out where we are!" The Rabbit-Moogle stated with another frown.

It took Faris a good few minutes to calm down once more, though still grinning at his friend when he finally got up.

"Fine, fine. Let's find out where we are, Mr. Bunny." Faris couldn't help but snort a laugh when he spoke.

"Listen here deer, just because I'm a rabbit doesn't mean I can't use my magic anymore. You got that?" Zomogo looked like he was going to catch fire with the amount of rage that he was emanating.

"Calm down, Zo. It's funny." Faris stated as he leaned down to allow Zomogo to hop onto his back. "Besides, this place doesn't seem so bad, right? What 'horrible things' could be happening in this forest anyway?"

Faris could feel Zomogo's frown. "You don't know what can happen here. Don't you understand? We're in an entirely different world now, kupo."

The now-deer Faris snorted a bit and rolled his eyes. Zomogo worried too much. Even still, he was cautious as he made his way further into the trees. Sure, everything seemed fine, but there was this looming feeling of darkness, and he could practically smell it in the air.

"Okay, maybe something is a little strange here." He stated as he continued on.

Zomogo hopped a bit and continued to keep watch from where he was perched atop Faris's back. "It's too dark here., kupo." He stated, his red pompom tail wiggling a bit as he spoke.

Faris looked around a bit, the further he walked it seemed like the darker it got. Something was seriously up but he really couldn't figure out why until he got a sudden chill. A chill that somehow felt all to familiar. With a sudden flash of light the Keyblade showed up in his mouth and while it was strange, he knew it was the only way he was going to be able to use it in that form. He was going to learn to maneuver on those legs if he wanted to or not.

"Faris?" Zomogo started. "There's something coming toward us, kupo." He stated as he turned in a different direction.

"I can feel it. It's small but fast. Should we run?" He asked, though shaking his head. "No, running isn't an option. We're going head on!"

Faris reared up a bit, forcing Zomogo to hold on the best his little bunny paws could as his deer friend took off in the direction of the obvious darkness. Neither of them were sure about what they were doing, but backing out and running was not the way to deal with it. No, they had to fight, they had to rid this new world from whatever dark danger had appeared and sure enough, when they got there, they were surprised at what they saw, though Faris was quick to act.


	11. Kingdom Hearts: Chapter Ten

The silver metal of the Keyblade clashed with a loud clack, hitting something within the darkness. What ever was in the darkness pushed hard but Faris planted his new hooves firmly in the ground, pushing back with as much force as he could handle. He was a deer, holding a Keyblade in his mouth. How strong was he supposed to be anyhow? Zomogo suddenly let out a sound and a bolt of lightning shot down, breaking apart the darkness that was in front of them. Then a few more shot down, pushing the darkness back and further into the forest. For a moment, they knew they were safe, but for how long they wondered.

Once the danger had passed, the Keyblade disappeared in a flash, and Faris turned to see just who and what he was protecting. When he looked at the ground he was surprised to see a young yearling deer curled up in fright. He lowered his head toward this deer, nudging him lightly with his hoof. The small deer shuddered in fear and Faris pulled away slowly, somehow figuring out how to lay down next to him.

"Hey, you okay?" He asked, nudging the deer with his head. "That thing didn't hurt you did it?"

The deer shook his shuddering head and peeked up with one big eye, lifting his head completely to expose the other and the rest of his face.

"There you are." Faris said, with a smile. Something about this little deer reminded him of home...

"W-who are you?" The small deer asked.

"My name is Faris." He replied. "This little bunny here is Zomogo. Though you can call him Zo or Mog if you want."

The small deer nodded. "My name is Bambi."

"Well then, Bambi, we should get you back to your mother." Faris said as he stood up and looked down at the yearling, who was now hiding his face again. "Bambi?"

Faris leaned down and nudged the young deer once more, who sniffled in return.

"Come now, what's the trouble little one?" Zomogo asked as he hopped over to the small deer, petting him on the head lightly.

"My m-mother's gone." He replied through his tears.

Faris's ears stood up suddenly before he knelt down again. "Then you know what? Let's just get you home. Zomogo and I will take care of you until we find your guardian."

Bambi looked up and nodded, standing himself up slowly, though his ears and head still hung low.

After a while of walking in silence, Faris looked down at the young deer and questioned him. "Does any of this look familiar?"

Bambi nodded again. "We're almost there." He murmured.

Faris smiled and kept walking, though he was still overly watchful of shadows and strange noises. His new, large ears were going in so many directions at once it was hard to keep up.

"We're here." Bambi said suddenly, breaking Faris out of his sensory overdrive.

The traveler looked around and spotted the den. Nothing more than a fallen tree over what looked like a rock covered in grass, moss, and other plants.

"Why don't you go inside, and I'll stay right out here?" Faris said, smiling at the small deer.

Bambi made his way inside and Faris got comfy on the ground once more. It was going to be a waiting game and he knew it. Just what was in store for him and Zomogo in this new world. How long would they be there? Where was Goosh? Even more so, how was Largo? He shook his head suddenly. Largo? It had felt like ages since he'd seen him but it also didn't feel that long.

"What seems to be bothering you, kupo?" Zomogo asked, touching Faris's face with his paw.

"Just... thinking is all." He replied. "None of this makes sense to me. How am I supposed to save worlds when I don't even know how to even start? This is the third world I've been to and I just... I don't know if I can do it." He explained, laying his head down.

"Is that all that's on your mind, kupo?"

"No," Faris sighed. "There's more. A lot more."

"Will you share with me, kupo? Is that not what friends are supposed to do?"

Faris gave a small smile. "Glad to know we're friends."

Zomogo reached up and smacked Faris's face with his front paw. "Of course we're friends, kupo. I wouldn't have come with you otherwise."

"Oh really? So you actually had a choice in the matter?" The deer questioned his rabbit friend.

"Nope, not one choice, kupo." He replied.

Faris chuckled a bit. "Then we're in the same boat here, aren't we?"

Zomogo nodded and rested himself against Faris's chest. After a while, Faris himself settled down, curling up a bit, though finding it difficult to get any kind of comfortable in his new body. As he closed his eyes however, he found that he just couldn't relax. There was something haunting about the silence and it was making him uneasy.


	12. Kingdom Hearts: Chapter Eleven

"Faris?" A voice asked. "Faris?"

The pink haired boy shifted and let out a groan.

"FARIS!" The boy jolted up and his eyes focused on a small deer.

"Bambi?" He questioned.

The yearling smiled at him. "I'm hungry."

Faris blinked a bit and looked around. "Isn't there grass... everywhere?" He asked as he stood up slowly, knocking Zomogo from his sleeping position, waking him up.

"But I want to eat in the meadow." Bambi replied with a sheepish grin.

Zomogo and Faris looked at one another for a moment then nodded.

"Okay fine, but listen, don't wander. We still don't know what kind of thing that was chasing you, or where it went, so it's best to be careful." Faris explained.

"But food does sound like a good idea, kupo." Zomogo stated as he hopped onto Faris's back.

"You can eat too..."

The tree made their way through the trees, though Bambi was leading the way. It didn't take them too terribly long to get to the meadow and the moment Faris laid eyes on it, he didn't like it. It was a field of nothing but tall grass. Grass that went up over the small deer's head.

"Bambi," he started. "Let's find somewhere else to eat."

As Faris watched the grass, he swore he saw something move, and his feet automatically shifted into a protective position.

"But I want to eat here." Bambi stated with a pout.

No birds sounded, no crickets, nothing. Faris heard only Bambi, and what sounded like the wind. There was no wind blowing. His heart started beating faster and he moved closer to his small charge, becoming more protective than he had been in the longest time. Something was out there, something dark, something dangerous. Something that he couldn't even see.

Bambi looked up at Faris for a moment, sensing his caution and hiding a bit behind him.

"Faris, I'm scared."

Why did Faris have to be a deer? Why couldn't he have turned into something more useful? Something like a mountain lion or something. "Bambi, when I tell you to run, you run." He stated.

The small deer nodded and got into a better stance. Faris on the other hand didn't take his eyes off of the grass, not once. He scanned it harder than he'd ever before. That's when he saw it too. Either it was his eyes straining or something else, but he saw what he was looking for and it was huge. It stood taller than the grass, larger than himself even. A deer black as the darkest darkness, and yellow eyes. There was darkness flowing off of it like some kind of fluffy dark fire from its chest.

"Faris?" Zomogo whispered, Faris didn't budge, his eyes fixated on the dark creature that was in the meadow.

Suddenly the creature snapped its head around, looking directly at the deer, and at the same time, Faris spoke. "Run!"

Bambi took off back into the forest, though Faris felt like he couldn't move his feet.

"Faris?" Zomogo questioned as he tugged on his friend's ears.

The deer didn't take his eyes off the creature, he couldn't. Something about it made him to where he just couldn't look away. It felt like he was being drawn to it. He took a step closer to the meadow, though pulled back when he was headbutted in the leg.

The sudden pain made him turn his head to the danger and he saw Bambi, with a stern look on his face. "You said run! So Let's run!"

Faris nodded quickly and he followed Bambi through the trees and back to the den. By the time they reached it they were out of breath and Faris was shaking.

"Faris, are you alright, kupo?" Zomogo questioned as he watched his friend in concern.

Faris nodded. "I'm fine I just..." He paused and shook his head. "It was nothing."

Zomogo frowned, but knew he wasn't going to get anything out of the teen so soon.

"Bambi, are you okay?" Faris asked as he checked the small deer over.

"I'm fine, but why didn't you run?" He asked.

Faris wanted to tell him, but he just couldn't. "I don't know. I froze I guess." He replied, making Bambi frown.

"You can never freeze! My father said if there's danger you should never freeze like that." He stated. "How are you supposed to protect me if you freeze up?"

Faris lowered his eyes, closing them after a moment. "I'm sorry. It won't happen again."

Bambi nodded and smiled. "We can just... eat here." He said as he walked over to a patch of grass.

Zomogo joined him, though Faris laid down in the spot he was in before they left. He couldn't keep his mind off of the darkness that he saw in the meadow. It felt so familiar the thought brought an all to real twisting in his stomach and he scrunched his face.

"Is it happening again?" Zomogo asked, startling Faris in the process.

"Yeah..." He replied, curling up once more.

Zomogo placed his hands on his friend's forehead, casting a bit of magic to try and cure his ailment, though it didn't help at all. Slowly though, he started falling asleep and soon fell into the darkness of his mind once again.


	13. Kingdom Hearts: Chapter Twelve

_"Darkness is everywhere."_

"I know that but how can I beat it?" Faris asked as he stood up from his sitting position on the cold surface of the Station he was sitting on.

_"Darkness cannot be beaten."_

"Then how am I supposed to help anyone?!" Faris was getting frustrated with the voice that was speaking to him.

It wasn't giving him the answers he needed and it wasn't helping him at all! The voice was supposed to help him and yet it was just making things more complicated for him. He didn't understand. He needed to understand what to do, how to do it. He couldn't just do it.

"You said you'd protect me!" Bambi's voice rang through the dark abyss, hitting Faris like an arrow in the chest.

The thought of the young deer being in danger made his chest tighten and it felt like he couldn't breath.

"Tell me what I'm supposed to do!" He yelled, his voice falling into darkness, unlike Bambi's who seemingly echoed.

Faris was breaking down. His breathing was speeding up, his heart rate elevated, and it felt like he was going to pass out, but what could he do? What possible thing could he do in the mental Station he was at? He chose to be a protector. He was supposed to be powerful and brave and that was far from what he was being. Things were happening too fast and he just wanted it to stop. How could he make it stop? How could he defeat the darkness when he didn't even know how to protect himself from it?

_"You can rely on this darkness..."_

The voice echoed something from the past.

_"The light within your heart will protect you."_

It kept repeating itself yet it still wasn't making any sense. What was he supposed to do!? How was he supposed to figure it out?

_"The darkness will consume you."_

The voice too a turn and sounded darker, more sinister, but somehow it sounded like him saying it. The Station was becoming stranger and stranger, mirrors started to appear from the floor, encircling him. When he looked in the mirror he saw himself, but somehow, each one was different. Different emotions were showing before they all turned into dark version of himself. Black silhouettes of himself stood in all the mirrors, their yellow eyes staring him down until he collapsed onto the cold surface once again. It was like he was swimming in a sea of doubt and there was nothing he could do about it. He was drowning. Drowning in his own self pity and fear that he caused himself.

_"Light can always be found within the darkness. You must find it and use it. If you allow yourself to be consumed there will be nothing left. There will be no "Faris" left to save."_

The voice returned to normal, yet Faris still didn't know what it meant. If there was some way he could understand what the voice was telling him. Some easier way... A sudden burst of light flashed in front of him and when he looked up, the mirrors were gone and there stood a small pillar, surrounded by glass. Within that pillar was a strange thing. A weapon of sorts. A Keyblade?

_"You can find the light within the darkness."_

Faris pressed his hand against the glass. This Keyblade was what he needed and he needed to get it. He hit the glass as hard as he could, but it didn't even leave a crack. How was he supposed to get it?

"Voice, what am I supposed to do? I don't understand. Please, help me." He asked.

_"Your faults can become your strengths, Faris. You are rash, you are fearful, but you are also brave and you have a strong will. What are you afraid of?"_

"What's not to be afraid of? I was pulled from my own world, dropped into another and things just keep getting worse! You tell me what I'm afraid of!"

_"Darkness."_

"I knew that already!"

_"Then fight it. Fight the fear that you have twisting deep inside you. Fight the ill feeling you have when you feel you cannot help anyone. You must fight your own battles before you can help others."_

The voice was right and Faris was quickly coming to realize that.

"Show me how."

_"The Keyblade in front of you is called the Prisma. Unlike the Kingdom Key it is created from your heart. When your heart is strong it can manifest great things and it can manifest terrible things. The Prisma was manifested by your own heart to protect itself from the darkness."_

"The sun, the moon, and the stars..." Faris murmured as he touched the glass again. "How to I get this?!"

_"You only need ask. It is your Keyblade. You must have control of it and you must defeat your own darkness to obtain it."_

Faris let out a growl and punched the glass as hard as he could, though still not making a mark on the case.

"I will get this!" He snapped as he continued to hit it with all his strength. "Just give it to me already! I have to protect Zomogo and Bambi!"

With another punch, the case shattered like a thin sheet of ice and Faris triumphantly took hold of the Keyblade's handle. This Keyblade was his. The Prisma...

"Send me back! I have to help!" He stated, clutching the Keyblade's handle tightly.

_"With pleasure, good luck."_

The Station suddenly started to crumble, but Faris as quick to run and leap off the edge of the broken platform.


	14. Kingdom Hearts: Chapter Thirteen

Faris awoke with a start. His body jolted and he sat up so quickly the world spun around him. For a moment he placed his hand on hos forehead. Wait, hand? He had hands again? The hell was going on?

"Zomogo? Bambi?" He questioned surprised when a rabbit foot touched him.

"Faris, what happened, kupo?"

He looked down and was a little shocked to see Zomogo still as a rabbit. "I don't really know. I was at the Station and... why are you still a rabbit?"

Zomogo shook his head. "Why are you human? If Bambi sees you who knows what he'll do, kupo."

Faris sighed. "Well it's not like I know how to turn deer mode on and off, okay? I didn't choose to turn back into human or even turn into a deer."

"Faris?" A small voice asked and he and Zomogo froze.

"Bambi?" Faris turned his attention to the young deer, who seemed calmer than you'd think he'd be.

"You turned human?" He asked, walking over and sitting next to him.

"I guess I did. It doesn't scare you does it?" He asked, a bit worried.

The small deer shook his head. "No, you remind me of Sora. So I'm not scared. You're like him, aren't you? You keep others safe from the darkness?"

"Sora huh? Well I bet Sora was much better at it than I am." Faris admitted.

"Faris, kupo." Zomogo started. "You have only begun your journey and it will take time to get used to everything."

"Zo is right." Bambi said with a smile. "Not even Sora was perfect. I've seen close up how hard it was for him."

Faris couldn't help but smile at that. "Not even Sora was perfect, huh? That's somehow a relief." He said, sighing a bit. "You're really not scared of me?"

Bambi shook his head. "Not one bit. The big thing in the meadow though, yes."

The teen's mouth opened a bit as he stared at the young deer.

"We went to look back at the meadow, kupo. To see what you were seeing. It didn't move much, it just looked at us." Zomogo explained.

"It was really creepy but it didn't go anywhere. I think it's waiting for something." Bambi stated.

Faris pushed himself to his feet, placing his hand atop Bambi's head. "Well, I guess we have to see what it's waiting for, don't we?" He said with a grin.

"What happened to the other Faris, kupo?" Zomogo asked with a grin.

"He grew a backbone I think." He replied as he leaned down to pick the rabbit-moogle up. "Now, let's go get that big beastie."

A while later they found themselves at the edge of the meadow once again and to Faris's surprise the creature was still there. He really must have been waiting for something. Faris shook his head and took a couple steps into the meadow. Hey may have not been a deer any longer but he still had heightened sense of hearing for some reason.

The creature turned its head and looked at Faris. It didn't move, nor did it make a noise. It didn't do anything in fact. It just stood there. Faris frowned. Just what was this thing's game? Did it have no interest in attacking? It wasn't making any sense at all! The young man growled to himself, tossing his arm out to the side, making the Prisma appear in a flash. This made the creature move. This made it turn, make a noise, and start charging at them, and this made Faris get a rush of excitement that he didn't know he could have.

He ran forward, Zomogo close behind. He wasn't going to let this deer of darkness harm anything. But wait, it wasn't harming anything was it? It was just standing there. What was it doing? Why was it not doing anything. Doubts flooded into Faris's head and just as suddenly as it appeared, the Prisma vanished, causing the boy to stop and drop his hands to his sides. Zomogo was about to yell, but the creature too, stopped. While it was only about six or seven feet away, it just stood there, watching Faris.

"I don't understand. Why wasn't it doing anything? It's not hurting anything, is it? If it's just standing here not doing anything I can't attack it!" He stated, gesturing to the creature as he turned to look at his little rabbit-moogle friend. "What am I supposed to do if it's not doing anything bad?!"

Zomogo stopped and shrugged his little bunny shoulders. "I do not know, kupo. Perhaps leave it be?"

Faris frowned and looked back at the dark deer. Just what was it doing? Why was it just standing there?! Everything was making his head spin and he was just getting so annoyed with it. He let out a frustrated yell, his hands on his head, messing his hair up as he flailed about a little bit.

"What do you want?!" He snapped, yelling at the deer. "If you're not going to do anything why are you freaking standing there?!"

The deer shifted a bit before moving closer, though stopped once more.

The pink haired teen let out another frustrated noise and was about to yell again, but something shot out of the trees on the other side of the meadow. It was the darkness that he saw before. The thing he protected Bambi from. The dark deer turned and snorted. That's when Faris understood. He wasn't waiting to hurt anyone, he was waiting for this thing to come back so he could fight it off!


	15. Kingdom Hearts: Chapter Fourteen

The boy's confidence came back suddenly as he charged beside the large deer at this dark creature. The Prisma made itself known once again, boosting Faris's confidence even more. Zomogo on the other hand (paw?) stayed back with Bambi. He wasn't quite sure just what he could do as a rabbit and he wasn't too excited about throwing himself into danger so quickly again. His pink haired friend however, was all too happy to and ran straight into the blackness of the dark creature.

Faris was surprised that most of this creature was just black smoke. Well it wasn't smoke but what else could he call it. It had a strange tingling feeling and it made him feel a bit strange... When he tried to shake it off, it felt like it clung to him even more. It also felt like it was getting darker the longer he was in there. He noticed something though that he could see the outside world, and yet he knew he couldn't see inside. That's when he realized that the tingling feeling was the darkness actually clinging to him. He flailed around a bit, trying to get the darkness off, but it only seemed to get worse.

Is that what happened to the deer in the meadow? Is that why it was after Bambi? Did it want to do the same thing to him? The teen let out a frustrated growl. While everything was starting to make sense it was also equally not making any sense at all! Sora could've done this, right? Where was that kid? Why wasn't he here dealing with this? Why did he have to do it? Why couldn't he have just disappeared with the rest of his world?

Something stirred inside Faris's gut and before he could really move to do anything, a small black creature basically crawled out like smoke rising from hot food or something. He was a little surprised to see something like Goosh, but not Goosh? It was something new.

"Vola..." Faris murmured, touching the creature lightly, who in turn cooed and nuzzled his hand. "Is this the universe's way of telling me I need help? Because apparently I need a lot of it." He stated.

The creature make another sound, and spread it's bright yellow wings. Faris couldn't help but smile and look down at the Prisma Keyblade that he held in his hand.

"There's always darkness in the light, and light in the darkness. Are you my darkness, or my light?" He questioned Vola, who instead of answering him, hissed at the darkness that they were currently surrounded in. "I'm going to take that as my light."

Faris reached out, pulling Vola against him as he put all his strength into moving the Prisma through the darkness. Something happened when he did and it was spectacular. He expected the thick blackness to separate, but it didn't. Instead it was as if he'd changed the colour of it. He moved the Prisma around more, slicing through the darkness with it until all he could see was a multi-coloured cloud around him. That was it. That was how he was going to do this.

"Vola, help me." He stated, letting go of the creature, who in turn flew around him, leaving several thin strings of gold, shimmering light.

He'd never seen anything so amazing. He couldn't get distracted though, he had to finish this. He gripped the Keyblade with both hands and aimed it at the sky, which let out a bright prismatic beam straight out of the blob of darkness. Faris could see the light surrounding the darkness, and even the dark deer that stood in the meadow. He wasn't really sure what was happening, or what he was doing, but he continued on, tearing apart the darkness around him until it practically burst apart, leaving him, as well as Vola, in the grass of the meadow.

"Faris!" Zomogo yelled as he saw his friend appear.

"Stay over there with Bambi!" He yelled suddenly. "We're not done yet."

Zomogo gave a questioning look before looking at the dark deer that was now glaring at them. Faris gave a smirk, pushing himself to his feet. His feet... were covered in a thick layer of darkness. He didn't have time to worry about that. He had to finish what he was doing. He picked Vola up and held him at his side like a small dog as he pointed the Prisma at the deer.

"Okay, let's do this then." Faris said to himself, shaking a bit of caution off.

This round wasn't nearly as quick as the last, in fact Faris was knocked back several times by the dark deer's antlers. The cuts that he gained stung, but he kept going anyway. This deer had to have some form of week spot. Quickly Faris pointed the Prisma Key at the deer, aiming it like a gun, and shot out several beams of multi-coloured light. The deer dodged a few of them, but some hit their marks.

All he needed was a weak spot. Something that could stop the deer. Vola chirped a flew around the deer, helping Faris find what he was looking for. In the middle of the deer's chest was a keyhole. The teen grinned, dodging another attack from the beast. That was it, he just had to hit that keyhole... somehow. The deer seemed to make sure that he wasn't going to even be able to land another shot on it let alone hit that one single mark.

Faris tried his best several times to hit his mark, and each time, failed. It was more frustrating than anything, and he was starting to get a little exhausted. It was apparently harder than he thought to hit a keyhole on the chest of a raging evil beast. Was it even evil? He frowned before getting a sudden idea. He grabbed Vola from the air and threw him straight at the deer, hitting it in the face like a child throwing a plush toy. His distraction apparently worked, and with a single aim, and several shots, hit his mark leaving the keyhole on the dark deer's chest bursting with light.

The teen dodged a final attack from the beast, ending up by Zomogo and Bambi, who rushed over to him as they watched the deer fall. Vola joined the trio, not really looking all that happy with Faris for a moment, but calming down once he was safely in his lap.

They all watched as the dark deer grew smaller, about the size of Bambi, the red turning the same colour yellow as Vola and Goosh. It was strange to watch, but once it was done, it stood and looked over at the group. The keyhole on its chest was still there, but now bared the same marking above it as the other two creature that Faris befriended.

"Looks like we have a new friend." Faris stated with a smile.

Zomogo looked over at Faris before hitting him with a small bunny paw. "Don't ever do that again!" He snapped.

The teen was surprised by his sudden actions, giving him a curious look. "Do what?"

"Tell me to stay! I'm here to help you, kupo! Don't tell me to stay somewhere ever again!" Faris couldn't help but burst into laughter at the now angry rabbit-moogle.

What was he supposed to do? Not laugh? Zomogo's little bunny nose scrunched and his tail wiggled, he couldn't not laugh. Suddenly the dark deer ran over to them. It looked quite happy, and expecting at the same time.

Faris frowned and looked at Bambi. "Well little guy, looks like it's time for us to go." He said, placing a hand adopt his head.

Bambi's eyes grew sad. "You can't leave yet..." He said, tears building up.

The teen smiled a bit. "I'll come back, alright? You don't have to worry."

Faris pushed himself off the ground and stood up, going over to the small deer. "I'll have to think of a name for you." He said, touching the keyhole.

Zomogo hopped over and looked up at his friend. "Do you think he'll be okay, kupo?"

"Bambi? Yeah, I think he'll be fine. He's got a strong heart." Faris replied lifting the Keyblade once again. "Here goes nothing..."

Gently, he tapped the very end of the key to the keyhole. The response was a bright flash and they were flashed back to the Station. Faris laid there for a few moments, the cold glass floor soothing his wounds. He was sure he was bleeding in more than several places, but what could he do? He wasn't prepared for that. It looked like he was going to have to get prepared for it though, because there were going to be a lot more battles just like that one in the future.

"Faris!"

The teen sat up suddenly. "That voice!" He wasted no time in getting up, grabbing his still unconscious Moogle friend and leaping off the pillar into the darkness.


	16. Kingdom Hearts: Chapter Fifteen

Faris felt like he'd been falling for a good while, he couldn't even see where he was going but he did notice the steady stream of air surrounding him and Zomogo. Were they falling through the sky? At the rate they were going, Faris was sure to reach the ground on his head, so he twisted himself a round, feet now pointing the ground. He was quite surprised that he landed so "gracefully" when he finally reached solid foundation. The ground broke beneath him, leaving a small crater where he had landed, though he stumbled a bit after a moment. He wasn't sure where he was, but it was somewhere. He was after the one who called his name. It sounded distressed, and he had to do something to help. It was about this time that Zomogo started to wake up, fur tussled and groggy.

Faris placed his friend gently on the ground, leaning him against the wall of the crater. "Zo, you okay?" He asked, watching him as he woke up.

The Moogle opened his eyes slowly at first, but faster and wider when he got a good look at his teenage companion. "Faris, you're covered in goo!"

The pink haired teen chuckled and nodded. "Yeah, I know."

Zomogo stood up and reached out to touch the gooey blackness that clung to Faris's body in several places. "What it this?"

Faris shrugged. "Darkness I guess." He replied.

The Moogle gave a frown. "We're going to keep an eye on this, kupo." He stated before looking around. "Where are we?"

Looking around for a moment, Faris noticed that their entire surroundings were familiar. "Edge?" He questioned. "We're in Edge."

Zomogo tilted his head and flew up a bit. "So we are. How did we get back here, kupo?"

Faris shook his head. "I don't know, but it looks like I have someone to visit."

"Oh?" Zomogo sounded as he flew up and clung to Faris's back, holding onto his shoulders and peeking over. "And just who might that be, kupo?"

The boy smiled and gave a simple answer, "Lamia."

He carefully climbed out of his small crater and made his way through the back alleys of the city to the main streets. Things hadn't really changed since he'd been there. Air ships flew overhead, cars and trucks drove passed them, and a single motorcycle raced passed. Of course Faris wasn't going to tell Zomogo that he had a time stopping moment with the driver of that bike for some reason.

He shook it off though, and continued on. Streets were pretty crowded like they always were, and somehow he still made it across without getting bumped into or ran over. It felt like only a short time had passed until they reached the shop that Lamia owned. He was more than happy to go in too. Now that he thought about it, he hadn't eaten anything in a good while.

"Lamia?" He called as he entered the store.

Zomogo, dropped off Faris's back and walked up to the counter, flying up and ringing the bell that was sitting there.

"I'll be right with you!" Called a voice from the back of the store.

"You didn't forget about me already, did you?" Faris called back as he walked around the counter, peeking through the door that lead to the back, pausing when he saw someone else standing with Lamia. "Who's... this guy?"

"Faris!" Lamia stated quickly, rushing over. "Look at you! What are you covered in? Haven't you gotten sick again? How's your head?"

The teen chuckled and moved away from his friend's worrisome touches. "Lamia, I'm fine. I just got a little hurt is all." He replied.

The other guest who was now being ignored made his way over, grabbing the teens wrist suddenly.

"This is dangerous." He stated in a low tone. "Lamia, get Faris some clothes."

Without much choice, Faris was pulled into the back of the store. "Hey wait a second, who are you?"

Zomogo was quick to hurry into the back of the store with them. "What's going on, kupo?"

Lamia's timing was perfect and spoke when he came back in. "This is Vincent. He came to pick of a few things. Don't worry, he's a friend."

"Vincent?" Faris questioned. "Why do I know that name?"

"I have heard of you, Faris. You're the one that fell from the sky a few months back." Vincent stated.

"Yeah, well I don't know you." Faris replied, moving back a bit. "Lamia who is this guy?"

"Calm down Faris." Lamia said with a smile. "Get yourself cleaned up and we'll talk, I promise. I'll even make you some food since you obviously haven't been taking care of yourself very well."

The teen frowned and nodded. "Fine..." He said as he took the clothes from Lamia and walked further into the back of the store where there was a shower.

He just didn't get it. Who was that guy anyway. And what was with all the seriousness that he had practically blowing off in every direction. It was almost menacing. He shook his head and started to strip, dropping his clothes onto the floor. They really were filthy, and covered in darkness. He never even realized how bad it was until then. Several parts of his body were covered in this darkness. It covered his feet all the way up to his shins, wrapped around his left shoulder and down his right arm to several of his fingers, and even up his neck to where it was almost touching his face. He swore his hair was darker in some places too.

Even still, he turned on the water as hot as he could stand it, and stepped in. It actually felt really good to him, the water hitting his still fresh wounds, causing them to bleed once again, though cleaning them at the same time. He really was a mess.

"Faris?" A voice asked from the other side of the shower.

"Zo? What's wrong?" He asked, peeking out at his little Moogle friend.

"I heard Lamia and Vincent talking just now. What's happening to you, kupo... is not good."

Faris frowned behind the curtain and leaned against the shower wall. "What makes you say that?" He asked, looking at the hand that was covered in the dark goop.

"Vincent said it was a type of corruption. That it will overtake you if you don't stop it, kupo."

Faris couldn't lie about that. He felt it. The darkness had never left him when he released Goosh and Vola. While they did make him feel a lot better, he still knew it was there. Darkness was a double edged sword after all and the more he relied on it, the more corrupted he was going to get. So just how was he supposed to protect people when he didn't know how to not use it?

"Faris, are you okay, kupo?" Zomogo asked as he peeked around the curtain. "You look terrible, and the air smells of blood."

"I'll be fine Zo. I just... I just need to figure everything out. There's still so much I don't understand." He explained as he slid down the wall and onto the shower floor.

"We can do this together, kupo. We just have to find the right answers."

Faris scoffed a bit. "I can't even ask the right questions."


	17. Kingdom Hearts: Chapter Sixteen

Everything about him was wrong. His voice, his body, even, dare he say it, his heart. The more he sat there, leaning against the shower wall, the worse he felt. It wasn't like before either. The knowledge that the darkness that was stuck to his arms, hand, and feet. It wasn't just his clothes that were covered in this darkness either. It turned out that the darkness was still clinging to his skin, even underneath his clothing.

"Faris..." Zomogo started.

The teen made a 'hmm' sound as he sat there. The Moogle however had stripped himself and sat next to his friend.

"Can do this, Zo?" Faris asked suddenly, looking over at his small friend.

Zomogo shrugged a bit. "I'm not sure, kupo. I want to say yes, but I'm not certain."

Faris sighed and shook his head. "Do you think I'll fall to the darkness?" He asked, his heart heavy with doubt.

"Would you let yourself, kupo?" Zomogo replied as he grabbed a sponge and covered it in soap before he started to scrub it against Faris's blackened skin.

Surprisingly, the blackness came off rather easily, even though it looked as if it was stained. Faris watched as the gunk started to come off, leaving no traces on his flesh.

"Think we got lucky this time?" He asked as the Moogle continued to scrub him down.

"Perhaps, kupo. But I would not test how far this 'luck' may go." Zomogo stated, rinsing off the sponge. "If there is a way to control this, then perhaps you should learn. However, if there's not, then you should try to stop yourself from using these dark powers."

Faris frowned. "It's not like I'm meaning to." He replied, getting a little more than annoyed at the accusation before realizing that he had snapped at his friend. "I'm sorry."

Zomogo smiled a bit. "Don't worry, kupo. We can figure this out together."

"You seem so sure of yourself. What makes you do that. What makes you think that everything is going to be just fine anyway? Where did you come from to have that mentality?"

"My homeland was called Ivalice. Like you, I was pulled from my home and thrust into this strange new one, Gaia. While this world shares similarities to mine, it is not the same." Zomogo explained as he continued to help Faris clean the darkness off his skin. "It was a dark night, quiet. More quite than any other nights. Then the rain started. At first I didn't understand it, but when I saw everything being consumed I knew that something bad was happening. Not even I could escape it, and it swallowed me up. I woke up in this world in a pile of boxes."

Faris couldn't help but watch his friend closely at this point. He was learning about something that he didn't know about him before.

"After that, I made my home here, studied all I could about this place, and did what I could, trying to find my way back home, kupo. I met up with Cid and Yuffie by accident and they explained a lot to me. Things about other worlds, darkness, the Keyblade, even Sora. I wanted to say they were a items short in a basket but I knew they had to be right, I'm from a different world after all. So when I saw you fall from the sky, I knew I had to find you, kupo."

The teen was dumbfounded by what he was told. The Moogle knew so much about this and he himself didn't know anything. All he knew was he was some kind of Keyblade wielder that had to defeat the darkness somehow and put the worlds back to the way they were or everything would be consumed by it. To him, it was all some kind of crazy nightmare.

"What was your home like, kupo?" Zomogo asked, sensing his friend's growing doubts.

"My home?" Faris asked, slightly repeating. "My home is Asini. The scientists say that it's a pretty medium sized planet compared to the others in the solar system, but I don't really know how to explain that. I lived in a nice sized city, pretty far away from any kind of ocean. I've always wanted to go to the ocean, you know? Swim in such a vast amount of water. Ah well, nothing I can do about that now." Faris chuckled a bit. "I used to get into pretty bad fights back home. My parents always seemed to get mad at me for it. Scraps were nothing new to me, I could fight all day sometimes. But this, this is completely different than those other times."

"Why is it different, kupo?" Zomogo asked, his curiosity peaked.

"Because darkness isn't like some other person trying to punch your lights out. It sucks you up, makes you do crazy things, and it just makes me never want to wake up."

"Isn't that what darkness is for? Sleeping?" The Moogle questioned.

"That's not the point! It's not like I'm scared of the dark or anything. I just-I don't know, okay? I don't know."

Faris was getting frustrated all over again and the Moogle could see that more than the teen could himself.

"If you're not afraid of the dark, kupo, then why do you allow it to consume you?"

Zomogo had a point, Faris realized that now. That's what the Moogle had been doing. He was trying to find away around his friend's fears of being consumed. The teen couldn't help but pick up his small friend and hug him close.

"Thank you." He murmured.

Zomogo smiled a bit and pushed away from him. "You don't have to hug me to thank me, kupo. You just have to be strong like you're supposed to be. That is what you chose, isn't it? Power and bravery?"

Faris was surprised to hear that come from his friend. "How did you know about that?"

"You are not the only one with a Station, kupo."


	18. Kingdom Hearts: Chapter Seventeen

The two friends sat in the shower for longer than they really should have. The sticky blackness on Faris's skin was gone, though he had many wounds from his previous fight with the dark stag in the meadow. Some were still bleeding but others had stopped. Thankfully, Zomogo knew magic and casually healed all his wounds.

"What happened to that 'I shouldn't use magic because I don't know when I can gain more' thing?" Faris asked, feeling much better.

"Shush, kupo." He replied, both chuckling for a moment.

"Hey Zo, you look like a drowned cat." Faris said as he picked his little friend up, holding him in the direct flow of the shower.

"Faris you better put me down!" The Moogle warned, flailing around.

The teen chuckled again as he placed Zomogo on his feet. "Fine." He stated before reaching up and turning off the water. "We should probably get dressed or something."

Zomogo nodded. "You're starting to wrinkle." He said as he stepped out of the shower, Faris following him.

The two found towels for themselves, though Zomogo's was much too large, and dried off. The new clothes that Lamia had given him fit well. They were his after all. Lamia had gotten him clothes over the months that he'd lived with him, though just about everything was pretty much the same and showed off his stomach and arms.

As they dressed Faris couldn't help but wonder about the man that was there. Vincent. There was just something about him that was strange, dark too. He tried to shake off the feeling but he just couldn't do it. There was just _something_. His thoughts changed all to quickly however when he saw Zomogo, poofy and quite overly fluffy in some places.

"Don't you start, kupo." Zomogo warned with a glare. "It's not my fault my fur sticks up after a bath."

Faris did his best not to laugh, but it was more difficult than he thought it would be to hold it in.

"Faris, Zomogo, are you two okay in there?" Lamia's voice asked from the other side of the door. "You've been in there for a while..."

"We're fine." The two chimed at the same time, looking at one another curiously for a moment before laughing once again.

Zomogo went over to the door, opening it before going out. Faris followed to do the same, but got distracted by his reflection in the mirror. So much so, that he rubbed his eyes and tried to figure out what exactly he was seeing.

Within his reflection was himself, but it was strange. Part of his face, including his right eye, was covered in inky blackness. He turned his head to take a closer look, and quickly realized that even his eye was different. A bright yellow stared back at him, and it made his stomach twist in ways he never thought it could. He pulled his hand up quickly, covering the eye so he wouldn't look at it. His hands were covered in the same thing. The teen turned quickly, keeping his eye covered as he fled from the bathroom.

"Faris are you alright?" Zomogo asked once he saw his friend. "You look rather pale, kupo."

Faris shook his head. "I'm fine, don't worry about it." He stated.

The Moogle frowned, not believing him one bit.

"I take it that you've seen yourself?" Vincent's voice came from behind him, causing him to jump a bit. "What you saw was you, but not what's on the outside."

Zomogo tilted his head, flying up and hooking onto Faris's back and shoulders again. "What's he talking about, kupo?"

Faris didn't want to say anything, but he wasn't given a choice when Vincent held up a sizable mirror in front of him. He wanted to look away. He wanted to never look at himself again, but there he was, staring at himself as the darkness crept over his skin.

"Faris... what is this?" Zomogo questioned, reaching out to touch the reflecting glass.

He could see what Faris saw, and he suddenly understood why his friend was so reluctant and frankly scared of all that was happening to them.

"The truth." Faris stated.

"The darkness that manifests on your skin is what you see in your reflection. The more you use the powers you have, the more it will show and the more corrupted you will become." Vincent's words stabbed through Faris like a spear, but he knew it was true.

"The Keyblade is a double-edged sword." The teen replied. "The more I use it, the worse I'm going to get."

Zomogo turned to look at his friend, hugging him by the neck. "We'll figure this out."

Faris turned away from the mirror a bit. "Vincent, how can I control this?"

"You must find your light, or you will be consumed." He stated bluntly.

The teen frowned. He had to find his light? What was his light? How was he supposed to find it? He was no closer to finding out anything about what was going on than before. Everything about this frustrated him to no end and there was nothing he could even do about it.

"Faris, there's someone here to see you." Lamia said as he peeked into the back room where they were standing.


	19. Kingdom Hearts: Chapter Eighteen

Faris was a bit shocked at what Lamia had said. "Here for me?" He questioned.

Who would he even know well enough for them to come looking for him? It didn't make any sense. At least, it didn't until Goosh launched himself at the confused teens face, knocking both him and Zomogo to the floor.

"Goosh!?" Startled by the sudden small black creature that was now in his arms, Faris stared at him before hugging him close. "I thought you were gone forever."

"Gone forever?" A voice asked. "Aren't you being a little over dramatic?"

The teen's eyes went wide and Zomogo was quick to pull himself from under his friend. "Largo!" He said as he ran over to the man that walked into the room, clinging to his leg.

"Largo..." The pink haired teen murmured, a slight bit of red forming on his cheeks. "What are you doing here?"

"Goosh lead me here." He replied as the little Keyling jumped off of Faris and into Largo's arms. "I guess he knew you were coming back."

"But why are you here?" The teen was still confused.

"Faris, you disappeared into a dark hole that appeared when you unlocked the keyhole on Goosh's back." Largo explained. "I had to know more about what was going on, so I went searching and met with Cid in Rocket Town. He managed to explain a lot. When Goosh started to make a big fuss about going somewhere, Cid aided us and brought us here to Edge in the airship, seeing as this is where Goosh wanted to land. It took us a while to locate you when we got here, thankfully we met someone who'd seen you and showed us the way."

Faris was dumbfounded by what he heard. Largo had traveled so far just to find him. It was embarrassing and yet it made him happy at the same time. "So what do you plan to do now that you're here?"

"I plan on aiding you of course. Do you think I'm just going to sit by and watch as people from other worlds lose who they are and where they came from?" Largo asked, frowning at Faris.

"It's been a while."

The small group could here talking in the main part of the shop.

"Yes, there's still much to clean up."

"I wish I could help."

Faris looked around a bit, noticing that Vincent had left the room.

"They're old friends." Lamia stated, assuming Faris needed to be told. "Cloud and Vincent have known one another for years now."

"Cloud?" Faris questioned. The guy that Yuffie and Cid had told him about?

"So this is the one that Cid mentioned." A new voice asked, and Faris saw a blonde spiky haired man standing at the doorway. "He looks like he's been through a lot."

Vincent nodded, "He's being corrupted by the darkness."

Faris made a noise and shook his head. He didn't want Largo or anyone else to know what he was going through, and the hurt look on Largo's face was enough to kill him.

"Corrupted?" The man walked over and knelt down. "Faris, you can't let this control you. You told me before you left that you would be fine."

The teen looked away. "I _am_ fine. I just need time to figure out how to control this."

Largo frowned. "You need help."

"I'm fine, I told you."

"Largo," Cloud started. "Allow Vincent to handle him. He knows more about darkness and controlling things than all of us, even me who's been to the other worlds."

Largo sighed and stood up. "If you're so sure."

Faris forced himself off the floor, fixing his clothes as he stood.

"What are you wearing?" Largo suddenly asked.

"Clothes?" The teen grinned a bit. "Something that Lamia gave me because my other clothes are covered in black goo."

Largo frowned. "I'll make you some new ones. These don't look like they would hold up well in a fight."

Faris wanted to ask if he knew how to make clothes, but it was best not to doubt Largo. Things always seemed to work out they way they needed when he dealt with them. The pink haired young man turned his attention to the spiky haired blonde however, questions floating around in his head.

"You been to other worlds?" He asked, curious to know more about Cloud's travels to other places.

"Yes, I was taking to another world before. I was forced to fight for my freedom and was controlled by my sins." Cloud explained.

"How did you manage to get home?"

"Sora."

Even though Faris knew that he wasn't the only Keyblade Wielder, the thought of everyone being saved by this 'Sora' was unbearable. Just what did that kid have that he didn't? Light maybe? He'd heard more than once from Cid that the kid was practically just light while his best friend Riku was the dark one. Was he the Riku in this time? If so, who was supposed to really save the worlds? Was he even the one that was supposed to do it? The doubts kept flooding back, even when he had gained so much confidence before. Somehow it just managed to just disappear.


	20. Kingdom Hearts: Chapter Nineteen

Faris couldn't help but to get frustrated at the thought of not being able to help anyone. He stood up with a growl and walked out of the room faster than anyone could really say anything to him, stopping in front of Vincent. "Teach me how to control this."

Vincent gave him a curious look before nodding slightly. "There is much that you need to learn. The first thing you need to know is that it will corrupt you the more you rely on it. It will do it faster and you will lose yourself in it." He started. "However, light is the key and you should be aware of this. Without light-"

"There cannot be darkness and without darkness there cannot be light." Faris finished for him with a frown. "But I don't get that at all. Okay, there has to be balance, there can't be one without the other."

Vincent gave a slight nod. "That is correct, but you're missing the biggest part."

"The fact that 'everyone has light inside of them'?" He questioned skeptically.

"No, while that may have some truth, it takes some longer to find it than others. Your core is covered in darkness and there is no light to be found, but it is there."

Faris pushed his hair out of his face, sliding it back into a more slick-look when he did. "I don't get this darkness and light thing. Is it good and bad? I just- I don't understand it!"

Vincent let out a sigh. "Just because something is dark, doesn't mean it's bad."

The more they spoke about it, the more confused Faris was getting. "So the darkness I have, is it bad or not?"

The somber man shook his head. "That I don't know. It's something that you have to choose on your own, I think."

Faris let out another frustrated growl, messing up his hair as he scratched his hands around through it.

"Faris, maybe you should take a break from all of this?" Largo's voice stated in a more worried tone.

"I can't!" He replied, though all too sudden. "I have to do this. I can't just laze around while other worlds are being swallowed up by whatever the hell it is in this darkness!"

Largo frowned. "Just for a while. Let Vincent and Cloud help you."

"That's right! Vincent can teach you about the darkness and Cloud can teach you how to wield that strange weapon you have." Lamia's voice chimed in.

"You just want Vincent to hang around longer." Faris replied, cursing suddenly as Lamia punched him in the arm.

"That's enough out of you." He hissed at the teen. "Just do as your told for once."

"Alright, _mom_." Faris responded as he rubbed his now aching arm.

Lamia let out a 'hmpf' as he turned and walked away. "You're going to be working here in the shop while you're here too. So don't think this is in any way a vacation, you hear me? I'm going to work you so hard you're going to think fighting these baddies is easy!"

Faris smiled a bit, realizing that even if he 'took a break' from everything, he wasn't giving up. No, he was training, getting stronger, and learning more about everything that was happening. It was a bit exciting, though he wasn't looking forward to being punched in the arm again, or really anywhere else for that matter.

"Fine, I'll stay for a while, but don't think I'm just going to sit around while worlds are being eaten." The teen stated flatly.

Zomogo walked over and smiled up at Faris. "I can try to teach you magic too if you want?"

"I don't think I can learn magic, Zo. It doesn't exist in my world." Faris explained. "Besides, what if I blow something up? Lamia would kill me."

"There's a rather open area outside of Edge that you can practice in. It's where I'll be training you as well." Cloud said, interrupting the conversation.

"I'm pretty sure that that 'open area' you're talking about is nothing but a wasteland." The teen replied.

"That's the point." Cloud stated as he walked to the door to the shop. "I'll meet you again in a few days." He added as he walked out of the building.

Faris was left with wondering how everything was going to turn out while he was stuck there, though the thought made him curious, how long was he going to be stuck there? Goosh, Vola, and the deer Keyling all helped him through worlds, how was he supposed to get to a new one if the other three were just going to send him to the same places he'd already gone to. The thoughts drove him mad with curiosity, but after a while, he fell into a slight autopilot mode and did what he was asked of him.


	21. Kingdom Hearts: Chapter Twenty

_Are you lost?_

A voice echoed in Faris's head. "Lost isn't the right word, I think."

_Misplaced? Wayward? Astray? Perhaps even adrift like a lost raft that escaped a small beach in the middle of a dark and wild storm?_

"Maybe lost is the right word."

_Have you not found your light? It's right in front of you. So very close, yet it seems so far away. There is still time, but time is fading. Will you be ready?_

"I don't know what you mean."

_The truth. Everything means the truth._

"I don't know what the truth is."

_You have to find it._

"But I don't know where."

_The truth is always at the beginning, isn't it? Everything is connected. Find your end and you will find the beginning again._

"Why do you never make any sense? I don't understand any of this, I don't think I ever will."

_What is understanding? Does anyone truly understand something or do they understand just enough to know what to do?_

"If no one understands everything, how am I supposed to save everyone?"

_How are you supposed to save anyone if you can't even save yourself?_

The teen groaned as he sat up in his bed. The voice had been haunting him in his sleep for days. It said mostly the same thing over and over again and yet he still didn't understand. What's worse was that the voice sounding an awful like someone he knew. Someone that he had grown even closer to in his time in Edge. Why did the voice know so much? Why did it seem like the voice was just stringing him along, pulling him further into the mess that he was already in?

"Faris! Get your ass down here!" Lamia's voice was nearly head splitting.

He sat up and looked around the room, picking up the mirror he kept on the bedside table after a moment to hold it in front of his face. The blackness was still there. The 'truth' of the mirror never lied, no matter how many times he looked at it. Every mirror, every cup, bowl, and plate, every single reflection of himself reveled this sticky blackness and people avoided him if they could. Vincent had told him about the Geostigma that plagued the planet after a calamity summoned a giant meteor upon it. He had said something about the body overcompensating when it was trying to eliminate the infestation.

He placed the mirror back in its place absentmindedly as he stood up and pulled a shirt on that he had hanging over the headboard of the bed. His body was on autopilot most of the time, like he had been sapped of all want to do anything. The loss of willingness to help anyone. He just wanted to go home, or wake up from whatever messed up dream he was stuck in. Once he was downstairs he wasted no time in going to the front of the shop, standing behind the counter to do the job that he was assigned. The days were long and boring most of the time. He only really went through the motions and everyone could tell that he was unhappy. Zomogo, most of all could see the pain of which his friend was going through and did his best to comfort him, though ultimately failing due to Faris's stubbornness.

Days turned into weeks and weeks turned into a month. Everything had turned into the same rhythm. The same routine over and over again. It was pointless. He learned to wield the Keyblade better, he failed at magic, though he tried to do it countless times, and Vincent only managed to put a larger damper on his mood the more he talked to him. Largo did his best to cheer Faris up as well, presenting him with a new outfit that consisted of a purple, yellow fur trimmed, hooded vest, some new pants, and even new gloves to go with his new outfit. Even still, the teen seemed devoid of any real emotion.

It was a particularly rainy day when he finally realized his lack of progress with anything, even though he had progressed in many areas. The rain fell on the roof, just like it did the night he was pulled from his home. It was loud as it hit the metal workings. The darkness of the night didn't help either, and the street lights of Edge were so dull that people didn't bother to leave their homes. Devoid of life, devoid of emotion, just empty. The overwhelming feeling of sadness that plagued him only drove his heart deeper into the darkness, and through the weeks that had turned into a single month, the blackness that once covered his face had extended down his right side, completely covering his arm all the way down to the tip of his fingers.

Yellow eyes haunted him from the darkness, and he knew they were no illusion. He often saw these creatures lurking about, never bothering anyone, but following him like they were stalking, getting ready to jump when they got the chance. They never moved closer however, and stayed in the darkness of the shadows, simply watching him, waiting. What were they waiting for? Perhaps they were waiting for the day that the darkness would finally swallow him up. Even with Vincent's help, he was fading into the blackness of his heart.

_There's always light in the darkness._

The voice spoke to him almost constantly. Always saying things that only he could hear. Things that seemed to be important that he could never figure out the meaning of. It was all nothing but a riddle. Light in the Darkness. It seemed to be a theme. Dark in the light. Everything revolved around the both of them danced around in a large circle on a beam that was balancing on the very tip of a needle point.

_Don't be scared of the dark._

The voice only seemed to tell him things that he really didn't need to know, or perhaps he actually needed to know them? The teen had become so reclusive that he often made a point to shut himself up in his temporary room upstairs. Zomogo often tried to bother him, but he was never too responsive to the Moogle. Why was he even there again? What was he supposed to be doing?

_"Don't forget!"_

Largo's voice chimed in his head one night as he was drifting off into his unconscious state. He didn't sleep, he was always on his Station when he closed his eyes. Even still, Largo's voice echoed, like it was taunting him. It kept sounding over and over again as he laid there on the cold coloured glass. Forget? What would he forget? Nothing made sense, he was tired of trying. He closed his eyes and curled up into a slight ball on his side, he just wanted to sink into the dark feeling around him, but that didn't seem to be an option because the moment he found himself relaxing to finally sleep, he was blinded by the brightest white light he'd ever seen anywhere in his life. The brightness of the station had dimmed in his time in Edge, but now it was as bright as ever, and he couldn't figure out just why until he saw a figure standing in the pillar of light that was shooting down from wherever it came from above.

Standing there in the light, was someone who he'd often thought about. Someone who'd been in his mind since he left the world he was currently in the first time. Someone that was apparently so inordinately special that he managed to find his way into Faris's station.

"Largo?"


	22. Kingdom Hearts: Chapter Twenty-One

Faris shot up from his hardly restful position on the bed as suddenly as he awoke from his sleep. "Largo!"

The teen panted a bit as he looked around the room. Where was his friend? Was he downstairs in the shop? In the back? Had he left him forever?

"Largo!" He called as he got up and rushed down the stairs.

"Faris, what the hell are you doing?!" Lamia yelled as the teen ran past him, half naked and only wearing his pants.

He stopped and looked back at the man for a moment before speaking. "Where's Largo?!"

Lamia frowned. "Put some clothes on first, stupid! I can't have you running around here with no shirt o- hey listen to me!"

Faris ignored Lamia's pleas and ran into the main part of the shop, spotting Largo immediately. He wasted no time in running over and embracing the white-haired male, hugging him close.

"I'm so sorry. I couldn't remember. I was forgetting..." He murmured as he subconsciously nuzzled Largo's neck.

"Faris." Largo stated as he stood still. "I told you not to forget, didn't I?"

Faris pulled back and looked at the man he was hugging, instantly noticing a dark blush on his cheeks. He teen smiled, closing the gap once more, though closing it differently, his lips pressing against Largo's gently yet firmly.

"Damn it, Faris!" Lamia shouted as he threw something at his head.

Faris on the other hand, didn't get hit. He pulled away and looked back at Lamia with bright eyes.

"Lamia, don't throw things at me." He stated.

"Faris your eyes!" Largo stated suddenly, placing his hands on Faris's cheeks and turning his head quickly. "They're all yellow!"

The teen grinned. "Don't worry about it. It's fine."

"What do you mean it's fine? This is not fine!"

Faris closed the gap once again, silencing Largo's panicked words before pulling away a few moments later. "I told you, it's fine. I've finally found my light."

Largo's turned an even brighter red at Faris's words. "You...what."

"Faris where are your clothes?!" Zomogo's voice rang loudly through the room. "There's people in here, damn it! Go put a shirt on!"

He rolled his yellow eyes and looked over at his small friend. "Fine, if I put a shirt on, will everyone just let me spend time with my light?"

"Light?" Zomogo questioned before looking at Largo. "You found your light!?"

Faris couldn't help but smile. "I did and it was right in front of me since the beginning. Since we left the Gold Saucer."

Largo covered his mouth a bit and took Faris's hand. "Let's get you back upstairs."

The teen didn't argue a word, he just followed alone with the man that was now leading him.

Zomogo and Lamia looked at one another for a moment before both shaking their heads.

"That boy is more trouble than he's worth, isn't he?" Lamia asked with a small chuckle.

Zomogo nodded his head in agreement.

Largo pulled Faris into the teen's room and smiled at him. "Your light? Really?" He asked, a blush still on his face.

"Definitely." He replied, getting close to the other man.

Largo placed a hand on the teen's chest, holding him in place for a moment. "Will you show me the truth?" He asked. "Right now, will you show me?"

Faris looked at him strangely. "The truth? You mean what's always in my reflections?"

"Yes, that."

"I don't know how to do that." He stated, looking down a bit.

"I'll give you something in return."

This caught Faris's attention and he looked up at Largo quickly. He thought for a moment, looking at his hands before closing his eyes. He wanted to see the truth for himself as well, and not have to worry about looking into a mirror that only ever showed parts of it. Only when Largo gasped did he open his eyes once again.

"You've been consumed..." His voice was filled with sadness.

"No, it's okay. I can control this. Just because I've been consumed doesn't mean that it's bad. Not all darkness is bad, Largo. I see that know. This is... this is me. I've tried fighting it so long that it made me sick, but now I don't feel that way. When I was saving Bambi and Zomogo I saw something amazing." He said, pausing for a moment as he looked at his arms. "Something in the darkness, bright colours that tore through it. The Prisma Keyblade showed this to me and somehow I manipulated the darkness when it started sticking to me. I know how to use this. I know how to save everyone now."

"But this light? How is it me?" Largo asked.

"Because you're the one that's been guiding me. Ever since the very beginning. It's been you. I didn't realize it until a little while ago, but it's always been you."

The two stood for a moment in silence before Faris pushed the other male against the closed door. "I won't let go of my light now that I've found it."

"Faris."

The teen didn't want to hear any excuses. He closed the gap between them, kissing Largo once again, though this time with more seriousness and yet more care and passion. It took only a moment for Largo to return it and all too soon did Faris have to pull away to not only breath but to pause his hands that had been subconsciously roaming over the other male's body. Largo's face was a deep red colour, but he didn't seem so opposed to any of what was happening, and this made Faris more than happy. He wanted to make his light happy, he wanted him to stay close and to never let him go ever again, and he wasn't going to.

"Largo..." Faris murmured, nuzzling his neck lightly. "Can I?"

At first, he thought he was going to be shoved away and smacked in the face or something, but neither happened. No, instead Largo's arms wrapped around him without a word and he leaned up to give the teen a sweet kiss. No words needed to be said.


End file.
